Nightmare in suburbia

He was an ex police officer. Still had extremely good connection with cops and local powerful people.

He used his years in police to collect heads. They were his boys and girls. Who have fallen in his vicious clutches due to no fault of theirs. The social pariahs, who have committed the social sin of loving someone of same gender and that too with proof. Proof collected carefully by the monster. So he could use them like puppets. The best type of puppets, who have no where to run.

Story 1:

Tamanna was scared; her soft beautiful face was flushed.

Sohail gently held her hand. “Don’t be scared jaanu. We will reach Kolkata and hide in my parent’s home.”

His parents showed him the door. Good that Tamanna did not have to face that insult. She was waiting in the taxi to be escorted by her mother in law. But Sohail came back sad and distraught.

He rented a small flat. A week passed away like dream. They decorated every inch of that flat.

“Jaan, I don’t know how to tell this to you, but would you mind joining my office? The expenses are too high for me to meet alone. I never thought my parents will shut their door on me.” Sohail asked her timidly.

“Why not? It’s my duty to help you. Is not it? She smiled sweetly.

“My boss is looking for a secretary. He will pay ten thousand to the girl. I believe that will be a great help for us.”

“Let’s see him tomorrow and see if he appoints me.”

He did. He was a very generous man. He helped them in getting a better flat, even arranged for a loan. Quite a hefty amount of loan which he arranged to deduct from their salary.



It was well past midnight. Sohail has left to deposit the money in bank, so they could buy things later.

Tamanna was pacing in the balcony, worried to death. Slowly night turned into dawn but Sohail did not showed up.

She contacted her neighbours, who contacted the police and searched the hospitals but he was nowhere.

She could not contact her family; there was no one there but her step mother and sisters. Sohail has saved her from their clutches. She has been serving them as slave since her father passed away fifteen years ago.

There was no question of contacting them. Then she thought about Mr. Sisodia, Sohail’s boss.

“Pack your things and come here. Stay with us and we will try to locate Sohail.” Mr. Sisodia said, “My car will pick you up in half an hour.”

His car came with his manager. He paid the flat’s rent and cleared the dues.

He took her to Mr. Sisodia’s bungalow. It was situated in outskirts of Kolkata.

She felt uneasy when she noticed that there was no woman visible. No sign of any family was there.

“My family lives in Ballygunge Place. I have made arrangements of your staying here.”

“You can stay and work from here if you want, that will not be required though, till you clear my dues. The loan which you took from me. All the papers were signed by you and it amounts to five lakh.”

All of a sudden he transformed into a wolf right in front of her eyes.

Years later when Tamanna looked back at that day, the darkest day of her life she realized, a smart girl would have become suspicious when Mr. Jain cleared the dues in such a hurry.




Story 2:

“Mom, dad I am leaving for that trip I told you. Do I have a budget for expenditure?” Jeevesh asked.

“Jeev, I can earn thousands time more in a day than you can spend in a month.” His father retorted, “Now go and enjoy yourself boy, don’t forget that you are the only son of a millionaire.”

“I will be back after twenty days. Will be calling you in between.” He waved at them and sped away in his car.

His car crossed the borders of Kolkata and headed for a small village. He was planning a big surprise for his parents. He was about to come back with a bride.

He met her on orkut. She is a beauty queen. Studies in Kolkata. She belongs to a hand to mouth family. But that does not matter to him. And he hopes his parents will too accept Lata. He has arranged his own marriage, though with the help of his in-laws. He has financed for every thing. Tonight is his wedding night.

His car entered the dusty road of the village. After a few turns he reached Lata’s house.

The house was deserted. It did not appear that there was any body in that house. He searched every room but they were locked.

He tried to knock the door of the next hut but it too was deserted. He walked a little bit and located another hut. A woman came out after hearing him. “Nobody lives in that hut.” She answered.

“I know babu, the hut on the bank of the pond. No one lives there.” She repeated impatiently.

She even accompanied him to confirm her words.

“This hut is empty for years. I will go now. I have to cook.” She left him bewildered.



“You want to say that you handed over Lakhs of rupees to strangers?” the Police Officer simply gawked at him.

“Do you have any photo of the girl?” he asked. Still looking at him with a deep amusement.


“No.” he gulped. “We have met just two months ago and we thought there was no need of keeping a photo before we were going to marry.” Jeevesh said.

The Police Officer felt pity at the embarrassed boy sitting on the chair. Sweating profusely. He was hardly as old as his own son.

“Do you think you will be able to drive back home on your own?” he asked. “Don’t hope for any thing at all but I will try.”

“Go home now young man.” He said kindly.



Sohail and Lata were sitting in front of Mr. Sisodia. Collecting the details of their next assignment. Hoping in their heart that soon Mr. Sisodia will release them after making enough amount of money out of them.

Their liberty was completely dependent on Mr. Sisodia’s mercy. A flicker of disobedience from their end or annoyance from his end will result in their living death.

Snowy

I


“Stand still on the pavement, let me pay the fare. Don’t go any where.” His mother said.

Rick was standing there but his eyes were roaming all around him. Suddenly it falls in him. A tiny puppy, black and white. He was also watching him, wagging his tail happily.

He went to him and looked at his mother. She was busy paying the driver. He patted the puppy and fished out a biscuit from his bag. He instantly ate it up and started to lick his boots. Rick looked for another biscuit but there were none.

By then his mother has finished, “Don’t play with street dogs baba, they have germs.” She said. “They sleep on the dirty roads or other places; there is no one to clean them up so they become infested with all type of germs.”

“Don’t forget to wash your hand properly after reaching home.” Tanisha was not very fussy but careful.

“Okay ma.” Rick said, he turned his head, the puppy was following him. He looked back once more after reaching the gate of the Housing. The small puppy looked sadly at him when he realized that he can’t follow him and sat down outside the gate.

“Ma, he is hungry.” Rick looked at his mother pleadingly.

“Okay, take some rice and milk outside the housing complex and feed him.” She said.

It became a daily routine thereafter. The tiny puppy following him to and fro auto rickshaw stop. Waiting patiently for little food outside the gate.


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II

“Tanu, I have been transferred to our Murshidabad office.” Ritwik said. “We will have to shift there within next July.”

“Don’t worry about packing I will contact packers. All you will have to do is supervise.”

“We will get a small bungalow of our own, with a small garden outside it. It will be a great relief after spending so much time in these stuffed match boxes.”

Rik was listening intently to the discussion his parents were having. “Ma, will I have to leave Snowy here?”

“Sorry baba but yes. We can’t take him there with us.” She said.

He went away after eating his dinner. A few minutes later Tanisha saw that he was silently standing in the balcony. She softly went there and saw Snowy standing near the Housing Gate. Wagging his tale at him.

She retreated to the kitchen, heavy hearted. She went to the balcony again, Rick was still standing there. “Go to bed babu. You will have to go to school tomorrow.”

Rick silently obeyed her. She tucked him in and went to watch the news with Ritwik.

When she came to check him before sleeping she saw that his cheeks were stained with tear.

“Can we buy a puppy for Rick?” she asked.

“Why? All of a sudden?” Ritwik did not know about snowy.

She told him Snowy’s story.

“Let’s take him with us. We will get him examined by vet.” Ritwik said. “We will be traveling in the truck along with the goods so we can always take Snowy with us. Cant we?”


She hugged him tightly and smiled.